THE REEFBOT PRO IS HERE!

[Silver14SS]

Doesnt ion director require a slave dosing unit JUST to function?
I still don’t think you have the price comparison correct. And that’s not even released yet.... who knows how well it will work. Compare to existing products IMO.

Those are pretty close to the combo prices, slave dosers are $50 less if already using a Profilux.

IOND & GHL Doser 2.2 SA Set – GHL USA

www.aquariumcomputer.com

KH Director/GHL Doser 2.1 SA, 4 pumps, white combo – GHL USA

www.aquariumcomputer.com

Neat that Reef Kinetics is continuing development of these testing products.

 

[BZOFIQ]

Some days i throw all test vials into a bucket of RODI and walk away, so takes me 1.25678 seconds to clean them? Comical enough?

Actually yes, it gave a chuckle; shake hands?

 

[SeaDweller]

I get what you are saying, however when you know your expected level you can literally add the amount of solution you believe you'll need, minus a few points and i then only need to add 1-2 drops to find my value and the colour change. The Salifert tests even document this in their manual stating to add all of the expected solution if you know the rough number.

I dont drop and swirl for any more than about 1-5 drops on each test because of that.
Cleaning wise mine get a quick rinse in RODI then left to sit and dry.

I guess you’re the only one that understands it’s not that difficult to do certain salifert tests.

 

[GabeM]

It takes me about half an hour to run my full salifert kit, call it 5 an average of minutes for each test.

For KH

1. Get water from tank, check level, put in test tube, ~15 seconds
2. Rinse syringe with RO, put in box ~15 seconds
3. Open dropper, clean nozzle with paper towel, ~15 seconds
4. Drop 4 drops in, recap, swirl ~ 20 seconds
5. Pull reagent into 1ml syringe, check levels ~10 seconds
6. Drop for titration ~ 30 seconds
7. Empty remaining reagent from syringe, rinse syringe with RO ~ 30 seconds
8. Empty test tube - rinse with RO and dry with paper towel ~ 30 seconds
9. Compare level to chart and write down value ~15 seconds

So KH is an easy one, should take me 3 mins if I don't dally. I tend to dally though.

I would like to see a video of someone doing the test in 30 seconds!

 

[drernesto Verified Sponsor]

It is pretty dang expensive imho. And I’m speaking as a person with a complete apex system with a trident. It’s cool and a good concept but 3k is up there. That’s the price of 5 tridents...

You can get the regular ReefBot for $899 and it can perform alk ca mg phosphate nitrate nitrite ammonia iodine copper and it’s a stand alone unit.

 

[BZOFIQ]

You can get the regular ReefBot for $899 and it can perform alk ca mg phosphate nitrate nitrite ammonia iodine copper and it’s a stand alone unit.

This is what I am leaning toward for my build. My only hangup is the desktop case size of the thing and its required placement. I want a very clean looking setup this time around.

 

[robbyg]

It takes me about half an hour to run my full salifert kit, call it 5 an average of minutes for each test.

For KH

1. Get water from tank, check level, put in test tube, ~15 seconds
2. Rinse syringe with RO, put in box ~15 seconds
3. Open dropper, clean nozzle with paper towel, ~15 seconds
4. Drop 4 drops in, recap, swirl ~ 20 seconds
5. Pull reagent into 1ml syringe, check levels ~10 seconds
6. Drop for titration ~ 30 seconds
7. Empty remaining reagent from syringe, rinse syringe with RO ~ 30 seconds
8. Empty test tube - rinse with RO and dry with paper towel ~ 30 seconds
9. Compare level to chart and write down value ~15 seconds

So KH is an easy one, should take me 3 mins if I don't dally. I tend to dally though.

I would like to see a video of someone doing the test in 30 seconds!

There is only one way he can make a video showing that happening in 30 seconds.

OR Maybe we are wrong and he just outed his real identity.

 

[Wolters_88]

Now on to the topic. Last Friday I was looking (again) at the original ReefBot and in my mind I was thinking if it only had few more vials available so one could have all the tests.

Imagine my surprise when I read the thread this morning, I shouted to my wife and told her what I was thinking and bam here it is. I got to the point where the price got listed and my brain came to a screeching halt. What!?!?!? No Way,

That said if nothing more viable happens within next 6 months as I complete the build I'll order the original.

Where I’m standing too. I want this but I want a system that does it all and won’t cost $3000. About half of that is more reasonable. Hell this is four times the price for more vials.

I can do manual tests for right now and wait a few months. Maybe somebody will see the need and fill it. Why they thought this would sell I don’t know. LFS are not going to buy this. Most are mom and pop shops and I live in a city with 2.5 million people.

 

[45ZoaGarden]

Why would I do that? I already have automated ca, alk, and mg testing daily and test no3 and po4 biweekly. Seems like a waist of $300 imho. Plus the machine takes hours and I can do it in 5-10 minutes

You can get the regular ReefBot for $899 and it can perform alk ca mg phosphate nitrate nitrite ammonia iodine copper and it’s a stand alone unit.

 

[dankaqua]

I'm wondering what components are on the reef bot that justify the high price tag?

For example, the iPhone X display has a hardware cost of about $110 with the total cost of the hardware at $370.

Which means Apple is making $600 per iPhone... (which is reason enough to go with an Android phone imho!)... but hey, that's Apple. Their software systems are pretty compelling from many viewpoints.

I can understand the desire to earn a good return from the investment of time, labor, sweat, tears, blood etc for building a new product.... but in the end, wouldn't it be better build a large and loyal customer base?

The other point about a high price tag is, what kind of warranty are your providing and how long are you willing to stand by the parts for the ReefBot Pro?

For the price tag, I would want to be sure that I could use the RBP for many many years...

I really do hope that Reef Kinetics is a big success and ReefBots become an established and trusted tool within the reefing world.

 

[GabeM]

I'm wondering what components are on the reef bot that justify the high price tag?

For example, the iPhone X display has a hardware cost of about $110 with the total cost of the hardware at $370.

Which means Apple is making $600 per iPhone... (which is reason enough to go with an Android phone imho!)... but hey, that's Apple. Their software systems are pretty compelling from many viewpoints.

I can understand the desire to earn a good return from the investment of time, labor, sweat, tears, blood etc for building a new product.... but in the end, wouldn't it be better build a large and loyal customer base?

The other point about a high price tag is, what kind of warranty are your providing and how long are you willing to stand by the parts for the ReefBot Pro?

For the price tag, I would want to be sure that I could use the RBP for many many years...

I really do hope that Reef Kinetics is a big success and ReefBots become an established and trusted tool within the reefing world.

Reliable electronic motors and other components that can act consistently are pretty expensive. I have seen stepper motors that come from the wholesaler at $100 each go out of spec in a few weeks. The military was NOT happy.

You can see this reflected in how expensive good dosers are.

 

[Tuffyyyyy]

So weird how this hobby claims that automated testing is the next big thing, but then this thread is 90% railing on the idea.

I volunteer at an aquarium section within a children’s museum and have mentioned a Reefbot pro to them. They seemed really excited about it, especially since they have some volunteers testing everything with API kits. The pro seems like the perfect application for a place like this, where they have a few big tanks but not full sized aquarium enough to justify an ICP system.

I intend on getting a Reefbot soon. I had it in the budget for my current tank build but then I had to shift some stuff around and the RB got cut. The way I look at it, testing my water takes about 30-45 minutes. With how much my time is worth, even assuming I only test it once per week, a Reefbot would be paying for itself (so to speak) in less than a year.

 

[robbyg]

So weird how this hobby claims that automated testing is the next big thing, but then this thread is 90% railing on the idea.

I volunteer at an aquarium section within a children’s museum and have mentioned a Reefbot pro to them. They seemed really excited about it, especially since they have some volunteers testing everything with API kits. The pro seems like the perfect application for a place like this, where they have a few big tanks but not full sized aquarium enough to justify an ICP system.

I intend on getting a Reefbot soon. I had it in the budget for my current tank build but then I had to shift some stuff around and the RB got cut. The way I look at it, testing my water takes about 30-45 minutes. With how much my time is worth, even assuming I only test it once per week, a Reefbot would be paying for itself (so to speak) in less than a year.

I think people are just railing over the price! The Mindstream did 10 tests and that was $995 and people railed about how expensive it was. My take on this is that the Reefbot Pro is mostly made by hand and it therefore is expensive in terms of the labor to make one. I also think the owner of the company did not spend enough time working out if his final designs selling price was going to be in line with what even the top 10% of consumers would spend.

 

[pdxmonkeyboy]

I'm holding out for the reef bot "bro".

Tests all, nitrate, phos, costs $400.

 

[drernesto Verified Sponsor]

I though it already had a doser built in. How does the older unit get water into the vials?

It have a dosing pump to bring the water sample and not to dose elements in the tank

 

[drernesto Verified Sponsor]

I think people are just railing over the price! The Mindstream did 10 tests and that was $995 and people railed about how expensive it was. My take on this is that the Reefbot Pro is mostly made by hand and it therefore is expensive in terms of the labor to make one. I also think the owner of the company did not spend enough time working out if his final designs selling price was going to be in line with what even the top 10% of consumers would spend.

Indeed, the ReefBot pro takes a lot of time to build and have very expensive parts.

 

[nmo0ory]

amazing congrats
i own the normal one and its doing very good
it save me lots of time when i am tired it do all testing for me
even if its take time i just run it and go to work when i came back all the result are there
po4, ca, mg, kh

but we are waiting for the dosing pump

 

[drernesto Verified Sponsor]

amazing congrats
i own the normal one and its doing very good
it save me lots of time when i am tired it do all testing for me
even if its take time i just run it and go to work when i came back all the result are there
po4, ca, mg, kh
Great to hear!
We’re going to have many surprises coming
but we are waiting for the dosing pump

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

So weird how this hobby claims that automated testing is the next big thing, but then this thread is 90% railing on the idea.

It's not railing over the idea that automated testing being the next big thing. It's that this is not it. there's nothing cutting edge or new with it, it's bigger and maybe quieter, which drive technology has been out for years to make motors quieter.

There's nothing in there that a person in a garage can't create, someone with ardiuno or raspberry pi experience can easily write software for... and I'd venture to say for far less than $3k.

 

[Tuffyyyyy]

It's not railing over the idea that automated testing being the next big thing. It's that this is not it. there's nothing cutting edge or new with it, it's bigger and maybe quieter, which drive technology has been out for years to make motors quieter.

There's nothing in there that a person in a garage can't create, someone with ardiuno or raspberry pi experience can easily write software for... and I'd venture to say for far less than $3k.

This is the case for like 90% of stuff. Sometimes projects like this are fun, sometimes they're not worth it so you just pay for the finished product. I.e. I can cook really well, but I still enjoy going out for dinner because I don't want to take the time to buy ingredients, prep, cook, do dishes, etc.

Also this is the Pro version, not the standard. I thought the primary target was for fish stores or coral farms, not a person with a single reef in their house.